Forest
The AR guy
- Jul 13, 2011
- 985
I originally wrote this review for ARFcom but I thought my Maryland brothers would enjoy it as well.
I finally got around to processing a batch of once fired brass I purchased years ago.
Well I needed to trim the lot - figure 1200 pieces.
Now usually I take a drive to my buddy's house and use his Giraud trimmer, all I have to do is provide the pizza
. However, while I love pizza, it's a 40 minute drive to his house, we have coordinate schedules, then figure around 2 hours to get the job done.
I figure there had to be another way (other than spending the $440 for my own Giraud). Well I found it!
The Little Crow Gunworks Trimmer is the answer to my problem. I've read some call it the 'poor mans Giraud). It's basically a toolhead that you use in your hand drill or drill press. Once it's spinning you insert the case (like the Giraud) until it stops and the internal blades trim and deburr the case in a second.
The trimmer tool head on my drill press (forgive the messy workbench it's in need of a cleaning), note the brass shavings inside.
Setting up and use of the tool:
The tool is easy to setup for case length. There are two set screws recessed on either side of the shaft (see the smaller hole over the big brass filled chamber above). Loosen these and you can adjust the neck length (as the trimmer is indexed off the shoulder). I used a case that had been trimmed earlier - pushed it into the chamber then lowered the blade till it hit the case. I then tightened the set screws. (Note an Allen wrench is NOT included with the tool head)
Then install the tool into your drill - note the instructions recommend a faster speed for best results and I agree.
While the trimmer is spinning insert the case till it stops (if it's long enough you'll hear the case being ground down - then a change in sound as it' reaches the right length) then give the case a quarter turn to ensure squareness. Remove the case and repeat until you're done. It's that simple.
To try out the tool I used my cordless drill. It worked fine! In less time than it would take me to use my Lee or Lyman trimmer on one case I had 10 finished!
When running the trimmer wear safety glasses! Brass bits occasionally fly out the large holes on either side of the tool head. I'll note these flying bits occur more often when the tool is moving slow (i.e. hand drill) than when the drill is running at high speed.
Using a drill press made things easier and faster - it was very much like using a Giraud except for the occasional flying bit of brass
. I processed about 600 cases in an hour, I still have more to do, but since I now own the tool I can process whenever I have the time.
After 500 or 600 rounds I suggest emptying the brass out of the cutting chamber. Just pull the tool from the drill and knock the brass out the hole. It takes about 30 seconds then reinstall the tool and you're back in business.
Cost for the tool was $70 w/o shipping from Brownells - well worth the price IMHO for the time savings. These trimmers can be purchased for a variety of calibers (including the popular alternate AR calibers like 6.5 Grendel, .300 Blackout, .308, and 6.8 SPC!!)
Link to a short video of me trimming a few cases
I finally got around to processing a batch of once fired brass I purchased years ago.
Well I needed to trim the lot - figure 1200 pieces.
Now usually I take a drive to my buddy's house and use his Giraud trimmer, all I have to do is provide the pizza
I figure there had to be another way (other than spending the $440 for my own Giraud). Well I found it!
The Little Crow Gunworks Trimmer is the answer to my problem. I've read some call it the 'poor mans Giraud). It's basically a toolhead that you use in your hand drill or drill press. Once it's spinning you insert the case (like the Giraud) until it stops and the internal blades trim and deburr the case in a second.
The trimmer tool head on my drill press (forgive the messy workbench it's in need of a cleaning), note the brass shavings inside.
Setting up and use of the tool:
The tool is easy to setup for case length. There are two set screws recessed on either side of the shaft (see the smaller hole over the big brass filled chamber above). Loosen these and you can adjust the neck length (as the trimmer is indexed off the shoulder). I used a case that had been trimmed earlier - pushed it into the chamber then lowered the blade till it hit the case. I then tightened the set screws. (Note an Allen wrench is NOT included with the tool head)
Then install the tool into your drill - note the instructions recommend a faster speed for best results and I agree.
While the trimmer is spinning insert the case till it stops (if it's long enough you'll hear the case being ground down - then a change in sound as it' reaches the right length) then give the case a quarter turn to ensure squareness. Remove the case and repeat until you're done. It's that simple.
To try out the tool I used my cordless drill. It worked fine! In less time than it would take me to use my Lee or Lyman trimmer on one case I had 10 finished!
When running the trimmer wear safety glasses! Brass bits occasionally fly out the large holes on either side of the tool head. I'll note these flying bits occur more often when the tool is moving slow (i.e. hand drill) than when the drill is running at high speed.
Using a drill press made things easier and faster - it was very much like using a Giraud except for the occasional flying bit of brass
After 500 or 600 rounds I suggest emptying the brass out of the cutting chamber. Just pull the tool from the drill and knock the brass out the hole. It takes about 30 seconds then reinstall the tool and you're back in business.
Cost for the tool was $70 w/o shipping from Brownells - well worth the price IMHO for the time savings. These trimmers can be purchased for a variety of calibers (including the popular alternate AR calibers like 6.5 Grendel, .300 Blackout, .308, and 6.8 SPC!!)
Link to a short video of me trimming a few cases
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